Korean input support for Nokia N9 PR1.2 (Updated MAR 2012)

Officially, there is no Korean input (keyboard) support built-in to the Nokia N9 OS. In PR1.0, there is not even a Korean font on the N9 so it cannot display Korean characters. PR1.1 does come with Korean font but no input support. Same for PR1.2. However, there is now a very simple solution to get a native Korean keyboard to input Korean on the N9.

UPDATE: MARCH 23 2012: I’ve received the latest 0.1.2 version of the hangul keyboard which supports N9 PR1.2 OS update. It should now no longer require you to press the spacebar after every word input and supports direct input to the text field! You will need to re-install this once your N9 is updated to PR1.2 for it to work properly. This is NOT available on the Nokia store. (**WARNING** I’ve had reports where 0.1.2 does not work properly as it should even after clean re-install. If you face such issues, please keep using 0.1.1 version or re-try the install as the developer assured me that 0.1.2 version works with his N9 on PR1.2.)

The source is here – https://gitorious.org/nokia-n9-hangul

NOTE: This is an unofficial but official (well, hope you get what I mean) release made by a Nokia developer in his own spare time. From what I know, there may not be any further update to this beyond 0.1.2 version.

Anyways, to get Korean output and input working on the N9, it’s a 1 step process: (used to be 2 steps)

Installing the hangul imengine

- Firstly, you need to go to Settings – Applications – Installations
- Then enable “Allow installtions from non-Store sources”. (If not enabled already)
- Now download the file below and copy it to your N9.
- Now install the package via File Manager app on the N9- Once installed, REBOOT the N9. (this is new for 0.1.2)
- you will see 한글 in the Settings – Time and language – Text input – Installed input.
- Swipe your keyboard left or right to switch between your primary language and Korean keyboard!

** For those who want a different looking (better?) Korean font, download the ttf font in the same link above. Delete the /usr/share/Un-fonts/ folder (if it exists) on the N9 and copy this font file to /usr/share/fonts/ (can be placed in the root of fonts folder) and reboot. (Un-fonts is installed as part of the meego-imengine-hangul deb package)

UPDATE OCT 16 2011 : This 0.1.1 version has been submitted by the developer into the Nokia Store and should appear in about a week or so from this date. Then you can simply install it from the Store client on the N9 without worrying about downloading the file manually and installing it manually. I thank the developer for sending me the file earlier to use and to share with others prior to it being published on the Nokia store.

UPDATE: OCT 28 2011: This 0.1.1 release is now available in the Nokia Store so you can simply install it from the Store app in your N9! It will install both the Korean font and the keyboard. http://store.ovi.com/content/212268 (It is no longer available on the Nokia Store. Not sure why.)

UPDATE: MAR 23 2012: I have received the latest 0.1.2 version of the hangul keyboard which supports N9 PR1.2 OS update. It should now no longer require you to press the spacebar after every word input and supports direct input to the text field! You will need to re-install this once your N9 is updated to PR1.2 for it to work properly. This is NOT available on the Nokia store.